Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Sunday took the Bharatiya Janata Party by the scruff of its neck on the issue of terrorism.

She said the people who talk about terrorism have no idea about the kind of sacrifices required to fight the menace.

Referring to the assassination of former prime minister Indira Gandhi and her husband Rajeev Gandhi, she said "cowardly people" who flew terrorists to Kandahar should keep quiet.

Taking the BJP to task on the issue of development she said, "Both the Centre and the Narendra Modi government have put Gujarat on the path of destruction."

Criticising Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for expressing satisfaction with the performance of the Gujarat government, she said, "I fail to understand how four hours of electricity [in Rajkot] can satisfy anyone."

Referring to India's culture as "liberal", she slammed the BJP government for pursuing a policy of hatred.

She said that the Congress wants to restore the Gujarati identity and pride, which has been destroyed by the Narendra Modi government.

Referring to the post-Godhra riots, she said the entire Gujarati community has been psychologically scarred.

She also alleged that the Vishwa Hindu Parishad has been "paid" by the BJP to campaign on its behalf to raise inflammatory issues, which it did not have the courage to raise.

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